Hot-air engine.



A. T. KASLEY.

HOT MB ENGINE- APPLICAHOII mm 8.14.1911.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

WITNESSES:

12.; ATTORNEYS.

. 9 from a turbine instead of the ordinary recip- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. KASLEY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01! PENN- SYLVANIA.

HOT-AIR ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1919.

Original application filed July 5, 1918, Serial No. 777,482. Divided and this application filed February. 14, 1917. Serial No. 148,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER T. KAS- LEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Invention in Hot-Air Ens gines, which is a division of application Serial No. 777,432, filed July 5, 1913, and of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heat engines and has for an object to produce an lmproved form of hot air machine in which the expansion and contraction of the inclosed air is employed to actuate a turbo machine instead of a reciprocating piston, 'as has been customary in the ast.

'Afurther o ject is to produce a hot air machine in which the alternate expansion and contraction of the air is maintained by means of a fire and the reciprocating movements of a slow speed displacer and in which a high speed turbine is employed for transforming the energy of the expanding and contracting air into available ower.

A further object is to pro use a hot air machine in which the energy of the ex andin'g and contracting air is transferre to a liquid.

A further object is to produce a hot air machine-in which the energy of the e anding and contracting air is transferr to a liquid which is employed in actuating a power developing or power transmitting device.

These and other objects are attained by means of a hot air machine embodying the features herein described and illustrated in the single sheet drawing accompanying and formin a part hereof.

The rawing is a diagrammatic sectional view of a hot air machine embodying my invention.

The ordinary forms of hot air engines em- I ploy a displacer and a working piston operating in machined cylinders. These cylinders must be relatively large, are clumsy warp easily, and in the case of the working cylinder must be carefully machined. In my invention I have completely eliminated the working cylinder and derlve the power rocating mechanism. The displacer chamsuitable material. The displacer-itselfmay be cheaply fabricated from standard sheet metal forms. It is shallow and ofrelatively large area, so that the air may pass through it with little friction. In order to further simplify the apparatus and increase the efliciency I transfer the energy of the air to a body of liquid, water for example, in such a manner that a continuous stream of the liquid is kept circulating throughout a closed system. A turbine ofany suitable type, such as an impulse or reaction water turbine, placed in this system transforms the energy of the moving body of liquid into avai able power. The displacer is actuated by a separate motor and may therefore be operated at a slow speed in order to obtain the hi hest efliciency.

In t e drawin I have diagrammatically illustrated an em odiment of my invention, comprising a dis lacer chamber 5,- which may be formed or uilt of any suitable material. Inside of the chamber 5, I have shown a displacer 6, consisting of a perforated plate carrying a regenerator 8 on its u per side, and a cooler 9 on its lower sid The regenerator 8 may consist of brick checkerwork, short sections of refractory tubing or any other heat storing material which will allow the free passage of air through it. I have shown the cooler 9 as composed of strips of. sheet metal depending from the perforated plate 7 and adapted to dip in the water which fills the lower portion of the displacer chamber 5. A series of vertical open tubes 10 mounted on a bell 10" are also carried by the displacer 6 and extend up through the roof 11 of the displacer chamber into stationary tubes 12 in which they freely slide.

her 5, on the outside thereof, is s own an annularwater chamber 14 crossed by cooling The tubes 12 are, closed at their upper ends. The whole disgrate 32 by means of a tubes 15, to which cooling water is delivered by a second annular chamber 16 superimposed on the chamber 14. A conduit 17 is adapted to deliver cooling water to the chamber 16. The lower annular chamber 14 communicates with the lower portion of the displacer chamber 5 throu h valves 18 which open inward only. The ottom of the displacer chamber 5 is provided with valves 19, which only open outward into a passageway 20. The passageway 20 communicates with a vertical chamber 21, which communicates with a similar chamber 22 by means of the working passages of a turbine 23. A pipe or passageway 24 connects the chamber 22 with the annular chamber 14, thereby forming a closed circulating system, which includes in series the annular chamber 14, the bottom part. of the displacer chamber 5, the passageway 20, the chamber 21, the turbine 23, the chamber 22 and the passageway 24.

The displacer 6 is adapted to be raised and lowered in the displacer chamber 5 by means of arod 25 extending through the bottom of the chamber 5 and a stufiing box 26 in the Wall of the passageway 20. The rod 25 is illustrated as by being-actuated by a walking beam 27, which in turn is actuated by a small motor 28 through reduction gearing 29 and a connecting rod30.

To one side of the displacer chamber 5, I have shown a furnace 31 having a fuel burning grate 32 in open communication with a flue 33 into which the blind-ended tubes 12 extend from the top of the displacer chamber 5. As shown, the flue 33 bends back on itself and terminates in a stack 34. Near the junction of the flue 33 with the stack 34 I have shown an economizer 35 which consists merely of a series of tubes through which air passed and heated before being delivered tothe furnace pipe 36.

The operation of the apparatu siliustrated is as follows: A fire being built on the grate 32, the hot gases from the fire rise up through the flue 33 around and between the blind-ended tubes 12, heating them, and on through the economizer 35 to the stack 34. The air heated in the economizer is delivered to the grate 32 and intensifies the heat of the fire, thereby effecting a saving in fuel.

The small motor 28 is started up causing the displacer 6 to periodically rise and fall in the displacer chamber 5. As the displacer 6 rises the air above it is displaced and passes downward through the regenerator and cooler 9 into thelower part of thechamber 5. In its downward path it gives up heat tothe regenerator 8 and is further cooled by contact with the depending strips of the cooler 9, which have been cooled by being immersed in the water filling the lower portion of the chamber 5. This cooling of the air causes it to contract, thereby creating a drop in pressure which draws water from the annular chamber 14 into the lower portion of the chamber 5.

The dis lacer 6 now moves to the bottom of its stro e, the air is displaced and passes upward through the regenerator 8, recover-- ing heat therefrom, around the tubes 10 into the blind-ended tubes 12. Some of this air is, of course, trapped under thebell 10 and is delivered through the tubes 10 to the upper ends of the tubes 12, thereby preventing the latter from becoming overheated. The air is therefore subjected to additional heat and expands so as to raise the pressure in the chamber 5 and consequently forces a part of the water, now in the lower part of thechambcr 5, out through the valves 19 into the passageway 20. It is, of course, understood that both the valves 18 and' 19 are of a nonreturn type, such as the common form of ump valves. It is evident that the action Just described pumps water from the charm ber 22 through the anular chamber 14 and the displacer chamber 5 and into the vertical chamber 21, so that the water level in the latter is higher than that in the chamber 22, provided the air trapped above the water was initially of substantially the same pressure in both of the chambers 21 and 22. Therefore a continuous flow of water through the turbine 23 is maintained by the pumping action ofthe alternately expanding and contracting air inclosed in the displacer chamber 5. The air inclosed above the water in the chambers 21 and 22 serves as a cushion to prevent water hammer and also serves to accentuate the flow of water through the turbine because of its resilient characteristics.

The displacer illustrated is light in weight andmay be cheaply constructed. Thecooler 9 is formed so as to oifer little resistance when dropped into the water and provides a large radiating surface for rapidly and eiliciently cooling the air. The regenerator 8 is preferably made of a refractory material having a low heat conductivity to prevent the loss of heat directly to the cooler. The separate motor 28 allows the relatively bulky displacer to be operated at a slow speed, thereby reducing fluid friction losses in the dis laeer chamber and allowing ample time or the air to alternately become heated and cooled to the best' advantage. The large area and relative shallowness of the displacer allows the velocity of the air in passing through it to be so low that frictional losses are reduced to a minimum.

The cooling tubes 15 in the annular chamber 14 prevent the water in the closed system from becoming heated and, to thereby impair the efilciency of the cooler 9.

It is evident that any gas, vapor or liquid may equally well be employed in my invenand on up through and 2 5 allowin chamber, and means for transforming tion to perform the function of the fluid in the closed system, but I preferably employ water because of its cheapness and adaptability.

In my invention any form of apparatus for expandin and contracting the air may be employedfimt I have illustrated the preferred embodiment. The details of the circulating system are also merely illustrative, although of a preferred form when water is em loyed in the system.

at I claim is:

1. In a he t engine a displacer chamber, means for. lowin fluid to be drawn into the displacer cham er when the air therein contracts, separate means for allowin the discharge of fluid from the displacer c amber when the air therein ex ands, and a closed system including a tur ine for con-'- necting the last mentioned means with the first mentioned means. 0

2. In a heat engine, a displacer chamber a displacer, means for reciprocating the displacer in the displacer chamber, means for fluid to be drawn into the displacer c amber when the. air therein con tracts and a closed system for receiving the fluid expelled from the displacer, chamber when the air therein .ex ands and for circulating it througha tur 0 machine.

3. A' heat engine com rising a displacer chamber, a displacer w thin said chamber for occasioningexpansion and contraction of fluid contalned within said chamber, a circulatory system communicating with said energy transmitted to fluid traversing said system into available work, in combination with means whereby the expansion and contraction of fluid within said chamber 00- casions a circulation of fluid in one direction only through said system. 4. A heat engine comprising a chamber means for expanding and contracting flui inclosed within the chamber, a circulatory system communicating with said chamber, an engine included in said system, combination with means whereby the expansion and contraction of said fluid occasions a circulation in one direction only of thc,circulating fluid within said system. 5. A heat engine comprising means 150 expanding and contracting an inclosed fluid, a circulating system comprisin connecting passa eways, means for cushioning the flow,

of fluid through the circulating system, a turbine, and means for cooling the fluid of the circulating system, and means for transferring the energy of theexpanding and co contracting fluid to the fluid in the circulating 7 v 6. n a heat engine,-a displacer chamber, a d1sp1acer.therem, a non-return valve re- EPOHSIVE to a decrease in pressure within the lsplacer chamber for admitting fluid to said circulating medium thro chamber, and a separate non-return valve responsive to an increase m pressure within the displacer chamber for discharging fluid from said chamber.

7. A heat engine co'm'prisin a displacer chamber, a displacer, means or operatin the displacer at a relatively slow speed, and a turbine for transformin the energyof the hot air machine into available power at a relsatiIvely high speed.

bustion c amber, extensions of the displacer chamber exposed to the heat of combustion within the combustion chamber, and opened ended tubes mounted on the displacer and movable into said extensions as the displacer Ha hot air en ine, a displacer chamber, a'dlS lace-r within said chamber, a coma preaches the extensions, said. tubes being I a a ted to establish communication between sa'i chamber and said extension.

9. A heat engine comprising a displacer chamber, a displacer within said chamber, a circulatory system communicating with said chamber, and an engine included in said system lfOl' transformin energy of the circulating fluid within said system into available work, in combination with means whereby variations of'pressure within the displacer chamber occasion flow in one direc-' tion only of the circulating fluid within said system.

.10. A heat en e com risinga displacer chamber, a disp acer wit in said chamber, a closed circulatory system commumcating with a discharge port of said chamber and with an inlet port of said chamber, means included within said system and located between said inlet and discharge ports for con-.1. verting the energy of the circulating fluld within said system into available work, in"

combination with valves for controlling the delivery of medium through said mist and dischar ports and for occasioning' fii. flow in one tion only of the circulating fluld within said system.

11. A. heat engine comprisingla dis lacer chamber, a displacer within sal chem r, a closed circulatory system communicatin with a discharge port of said chamber an with an inlet port of said chamber, means located within said system and between the inlet and dischargefports of said chamber for converting the energy of the circulating fluid within said em into available work, in combination with a non-return valve responsive to an increase in pressure within said chamber for controlling the delivery of ort, and a non-return valve responsiveto .a decrease in pressure within said chamber for controlling the delivery of fluid through said inlet port. P

said discharge.

12. A heat engine comprising a chamber chamber,

direction only through said system.

18. A heat engine comprising a displacer chamber, tubular extensions communicating with said chamber and subjected to heat, a displacer operatin hollow open ends tubes mounted on sai displacer and each adapted to move into one of said extensions as the displacer moves toward the extensions, and a regenerator 'meunted on said displace! and intervenin between the chamber ends of said tubes an the chamber.

' 14. A heat engine comprising a displaeer mg with said chamber and continuously su jected to heat, a displacer operating within said chamber, and a regenerator mounted on said displacer in combination with an open ended tube adapted to move into the extension as the displacer approaches the extension and so located with relation to the displacer that the regenerator intervenes between the chamber end of the tube and the chamber.

system into available within said chamber versing the system'lnto availa a tubular extension communicate 16. heat engine comprising a displacer chamber, extensions communicating therewith and continuously sub'ected to heat, and

adisplacer operating wi in said chamber 'in combination Wlth' open ended tubes which move into the extensions as the displacer approaches the extensions and which v Y the cooling liquid communicating with inlet and discharge ports of the chamber, means includedin the system for transforming the available energy of the coolingdiquid transle work, and non-return valves betweensaid chamber and said system for controllin the flow of liquid through the inlet and discharge ports and. for thereby occasioning a flow of. liquid in one direction only throu h said system.

In testimony whereo subscribed my name this 18th day of February, 1917. V

ALEXANDER T. KASLEY.

Witnesses:

. O. W. McGee,-

M. B. Gonnon.

within said I have hereunto g fre ctlonin Letters Patent No. 1,290,756;

It is hereby certified thot' in Letters Pobent'No. 1,290,756, granted Januhry 1, 1919, upon the applioatior; of Alexander T. Kagloy, of Swissvale, Pennsylvania for an improvement in Hot-Air Engines, an error appears in the printed spocificar tion requiring corrootion as follower Page 4, lines 55-56, claim 16, for the word tfinsvorsing" ma trdva'sing; a nd mu. the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that thosama may conform to the record of the case in the Patent. Oflice.

and ma led this 281111313 of January, A. D., 1919.

R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting O'ommiuibmr of Patenfs.

[BILL] 

